TL;DR

A gin journey through Spain

The vibe

The crowd

The drinks

The food

Our Review

First impression?Walk down quiet Second Street—in the Sai Ying Pun district, west of Central—until you find a bright red door. Descend a narrow set of stairs and you'll find this ping pong hall-turned-bar. The space, large enough to cartwheel across, is filled with contemporary art, neon signage, lounge-y couches, and four-top tables.

Cool. So who’s there?Ping Pong, which is owned by a Spanish duo, draws a contingent of European regulars and a generally creative crowd, who come for live music and a rotating lineup of contemporary work from local artists.

How are the drinks?Heavy on the gin. There are more than 150 varieties on the menu, many of which have been hand-sourced from artisanal producers in Spain, such as Gin Self and GinMare. We’ve tried almost every G&T on the menu—not all in one go, promise—and were surprised by the diversity, given the basic ingredients remain constant. We keep going back to the light, smooth flavors of the one made with lemon peel, Only (a floral gin), and Indi tonic. If you’re not sure which drink is right for you, the G&T tasting should sort you out. And, in case you missed the "gin enthusiasts only" memo, there’s a shortlist of decent Spanish craft beers.

Worth ordering something to eat, too?Standouts on the Spanish tapas-style menu include spicy patatas bravas and padrón peppers. Ping Pong also occasionally hosts dinners with chefs, such as Umberto Bombana of Otto e Mezzo fame, so check the bar's Facebook page in advance of a visit for a schedule.

Did the staff do you right?Depends who's serving you: The junior staffers are attentive and enthusiastic, but steer clear of the notoriously indifferent bar manager who, in our experience, isn’t terribly flexible when it comes to special requests.

Wrap it up: what are we coming here for?Despite some service shortcomings, which is par for the course in Hong Kong, the bar is a hidden gem for dates, friendly hangouts, and even unconventional business meetings.